


the soul has bandaged moments

by misoneism



Series: forever is composed of nows [2]
Category: Charlotte (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2020-11-28 04:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20960615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misoneism/pseuds/misoneism
Summary: Various oneshots centered around the members of Shunsuke's syndicate wherein they experience how their collective strength as a team comes from each of their vulnerabilities.1: If this is what atonement feels like, then Shichino could give up anything in the world for it (Shichino, Shunsuke)2: Medoki has nightmares. Maedomari has theories. Together, they manage to make something out of it all (Medoki, Maedomari, Bonus scene featuring Shunsuke and Kumagami)3: Maybe all along, this was his retribution - that in taking away from others, it was Maedomari who experienced the deepest loss of all. (Everyone, but mainly Maedomari and Furuki)





	1. Atonement

**Author's Note:**

> This series of stories will be centered around each of the three original syndicate members (perhaps more than once). There may be some slight deviations from Charlotte that are part of an AU timeline to be explored in another story I'm working on in which Kumagami does not die.

Shichino peeked his head in through the wall. No change -- Shunsuke was sitting at his desk, eyes closed and fingers interlaced, a forgotten tray of lunch resting untouched. A closer look revealed dark circles under his eyes, made more prominent because of how unnaturally pale Shunsuke was after spending most of his days underground.

Pulling back, Shichino let out a string of curses.

"It he still just sitting there?" Medoki asked in a whisper, though the walls of their facility were definitely thick enough to be soundproof.

"Yeah. Not eating either."

"What should we do?" Maedomari spoke up. His expression was as carefully neutral as it always was, but even Shichino could recognize a hint of sadness in the way his mouth was drawn tight.

Medoki sighed. "I'm not sure there's anything we can do for Shunsuke right now. I can't imagine what it feels like to lose your little sister in that way, after everything he has done to protect her. Even with Kumagami and the student council, we just didn't manage to save her in time."

"It's the little brother's fault!" Shichino said, spinning around to face her. "Didn't he know that his sister likely possessed that insane ability? Why wasn't he there with her?"

"He was, Shichino, but like us, he was too late."

"Why didn't he keep better watch over her? Didn't he know the risks?"

"Shichino, Medoki," Maedomari interrupted them, grabbing onto their wrists. "We are not going to accomplish anything by standing here and debating why this happened. What's important now is to give Shunsuke the time and space to grieve."

Shichino bristled, yanking his hand away. "Yeah, like he can grieve properly when his shitty little brother with the sister-com has gone off his rockers and is parading around as some juvenile delinquent."

"That is a problem," Medoki agreed, running her fingers through her hair. "Per Kumagami's report, it seems like after leaving his house, he's gone off to Kyoto and is picking fights with different gangs there. Our biggest concern should be him accidentally revealing himself to the scientists and getting caught. And with Kumagami dispatched to go assist our sister syndicate-"

"-there's no one to keep an eye on the little brother," Maedomari finished. "I know."

"We should go," said Shichino, making a fist. After all Shunsuke had done to protect his younger siblings, even sacrificing their memories of him to enable them to live normal lives, his little brother single-handedly went and ruined everything. It was enough to make his blood boil.

"We should talk to Shunsuke," the other boy corrected. "He is the best person to ask about how to approach this situation."

Shichino lost the resulting vote. Growling, he followed behind the other two to properly enter the office. They knocked. Once. Twice. Just as Shichino was about to start banging, the intercom flashed.

"Come in," Shunsuke's voice said. Even the slight electronic distortion could not hide how _sad_ he sounded.

The door slid open and they were greeted by their leader's cloudy grey eyes that somehow managed to find each of their faces. Without the help of his vision, Shunsuke had gotten scarily good at deciphering who was in the room with him based on their footsteps alone.

"What is it? Do you have something you need to discuss with me?" their leader continued. He looked emotionless enough, but as Shichino had observed earlier, it was clear that he had not slept in a long time. The combination of the grief from losing his sister, the stress of monitoring his brother, and a potential threat to their syndicate network had obviously affected him deeply.

Maedomari, their de facto representative, stepped forward. "Based on the reports of your brother's activities, we are worried that he is going to catch the attention of the scientists. It seems that he isn't very…mentally stable or capable of rational behavior right now."

Shunsuke raked a hand through his air, suddenly appearing much older than his physical body indicated. "I am aware of the disturbance that Yuu is causing. Nao is with him though so I believe that that will resolve soon enough."

The three exchanged looks. Medoki spoke up. "Tomori is?"

"Correct. Although she did not officially tell me, she did submit a leave of absence to the school after…after the accident occurred, and I can only believe that she has been keeping watch over Yuu. If anything were to happen, I have given her the list of contacts to reach out to in Kyoto."

Of course Shunsuke would have taken care of this issue already. He did not become their leader or earn their respect simply because of his ability (which was moot anyways, since it no longer could be used). Still, Shichino was pissed.

"Are you going to let your little brother get away with all this?"

"Yuu is grieving in his own way," Shunsuke said in a detached manner. "He and Ayumi were understandably close. In many ways, he had relied on her to keep him grounded, so it is unsurprising that her death would impact him so greatly."

"What about you, then?" Shichino yelled. He grabbed onto Shunsuke, trying to shake some sense into him. "Why aren't you angry at him? He's caused you so much anguish. He couldn't even do one thing right, which was to watch over Ayumi and prevent Collapse from triggering."

Shunsuke did not fight back. As quickly as it had risen, Shichino's rage dissipated and he stepped back, folding his arms tightly against himself. For just one moment, he had seen a flash of despair across Shunsuke's face. It lasted only a second and Shichino was sure that only he was close enough to have seen it, but it cut straight into him. Pain, real and raw, unlike anything Shunsuke had ever displayed in front of them.

The door slid open.

"All of you, please leave," Kumagami said in a low voice. Donned in half-dry clothing, his hair still clumped together, Kumagami appeared ten-times more intimidating than Shichino was accustomed to seeing him. "Shunsuke and I need to discuss some business."

This did nothing but further anger Shichino. "Why? Since when do you keep us in the dark? We've been here since the fucking beginning -- why the hell are we getting excluded now?"

"It's fine, Pooh," Shunsuke said. He rounded the desk slowly, cane in one hand. Automatically, Kumagami glided over and allowed their leader to latch onto his arm. "Let's go over to the conference room. Shichino is right in that they should be part of the discussions too."

He paused, revealing a forced smile that did not make it to his eyes. "And Pooh, maybe next time you can change first. We spent too much on these floors to have them ruined by water marks."

* * *

Once seated around the conference room table, it seemed like Shunsuke was at a loss of how to start for once. So many decisions and plans had been made in this room; countless fights to free captured ability wielders, the freeing of Tsutsumiuchi and his team of researchers, the creating of other syndicates across. Usually, Shunsuke would immediately dive into the situation and present his many ideas on how to solve it.

This time was different.

Shunsuke sat at the head of the table, Kumagami standing beside him. He somehow looked even smaller than he had at the age of sixteen when first he had taken this seat. They had been triumphant then, running off of the adrenaline of their success in constructing the facility, so close to realizing their dream of the school. But now, the tragic death of Ayumi appeared to diminish his presence.

"Shunsuke?" Medoki broke the silence, her voice gentle. "What did you want to talk about?"

Kumagami glanced over at their leader; even though Shunsuke could not physically see the long-haired boy, Shichino had a longstanding theory that they shared some kind of telepathic connection borne out of all the hours they spent with each other. As if to prove his theory, Shunsuke appeared to take a hint.

"I have been pondering something," he started, albeit weakly. "It's been on my mind for weeks now, and I have been unable to come to any rational conclusion…it is selfish of me to think this way, to say the least…"

Shunsuke trailed off.

"What is it?" asked Medoki when nobody else said anything.

"My time leap ability itself should not have been lost, although I am no longer in a state where I can use it. What this means is that another person could, in theory, still be able to wield it so long as they have the ability and necessary conditions to take it from me."

"Shunsuke, you're being cryptic," she interjected.

He sighed, a sound laden with utter weariness and anguish. "My apologies, Medoki. What I'm trying to say is that Yuu has the ability to plunder my time leap. With it, he would be able to travel back in time to save Ayumi from her Collapse."

Shocked silence; Shichino slammed the table with his palms, mouth open. It took him two attempts to finally spit out, "You want to give your little brother the ability to time leap? What the fuck are you thinking?"

"Shichino, let's hear him out," Maedomari cut in.

"No! We've all seen how unstable Shunsuke's little brother is. How in the world would it be a good idea to give him time-leap? Do you have any idea what he could do?"

"He's right," Medoki said in an apologetic tone. "If he goes far enough back, he could even stop the syndicate from forming. All of this might not even exist."

"Right. What's not to say that he doesn't do something batshit crazy like he has been doing for what, almost his entire conscious life?" Shichino snarled. "Just look at the way he's used his ability to cheat through school. Are you seriously thinking about giving time-leap to _him_?"

"Hm…Shun, what do you think?" asked Kumagami, arms still folded across his chest.

Against all of their protests, Shunsuke appeared to have shrunken back into his chair. He bit down on his lip, face pale and drawn. "I understand. As I said, it was a selfish request…"

"He did manage to save us in the original timeline," Kumagami noted. "Isn't that what you've mentioned before? Perhaps we could trust him to use it properly."

"It's not the same Yuu though," said Maedomari, quite reasonably. "We are all who we are due to the combination of our personalities and also our experiences. It is not certain that the Yuu of this universe would behave in the same way. I'm sorry, Shunsuke, but I have to agree with Shichino this time."

"I respect your decision," their leader said after a slight delay. "I will take it that you all feel the same way?"

Nods across the room, though Kumagami did not participate.

Reading the silence (to him, at least), Shunsuke clasped his hands together. "Alright, I understand. Meeting adjourned. I appreciate your time," he said, dismissing them. "Please, leave me be."

As all but Kumagami filed out of the room, Shichino glanced backwards to see the glistening of tears forming on stormy grey eyes, and the façade that their leader had carefully maintained slowly begin to crumble. He recalled Shunsuke's reaction earlier, the pain that had rippled across his face.

In only ten minutes, Shichino realized, they had torn apart Shunsuke's dream. Without much thought or discussion at all (perhaps owing to his outburst), they had dashed any possibility of saving Shunsuke's sister, the one he had fought so hard for in every time leap he made. What was worse was knowing that Shunsuke, with his stupidly selfless nature, would not act without their permission and instead would spend the rest of his life tormented by what-ifs.

Time-leap truly was a horrible ability, Shichino thought. Yet, it had the ability to save. Not just Ayumi, for Shichino had few emotional ties with the young girl that he had seen only once. But presented here was a possibility to save Shunsuke from his despair. Didn't he owe their leader at least that much? Didn't they all?

With this in mind, Shichino wordlessly re-entered the conference room. As he had suspected, Shunsuke had indeed broken down, his face buried into Kumagami's chest. The door shut. At the click of the lock mechanism, the blue-haired boy pulled himself back, wiping away any evidence of weakness and greeting Shichino with a feeble smile.

Aware of Kumagami's hard look upon him, Shichino cleared his throat. Damn it, he was not good at handling such conversations.

"Hey, look, I just wanted to say." Just say it, Shichino told himself, fingernails digging into his palms. "Um…look, maybe I was acting a bit too brashly, alright?"

Shunsuke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Can we talk privately?" Shichino requested, flinching slightly at Kumagami's glare. They got along well, actually, had always been very compatible from the moment Kumagami had found him, a runaway living on the streets. Compassionate but stern, Kumagami was the one who had united all the ability-wielders, giving Shichino a home and family that he never thought he would have.

The only exceptions came in moments like this one, when Kumagami shifted into full protective mode over Shunsuke. Which was precisely why Shichino would prefer the long-haired boy to leave.

"It's alright, Pooh," Shunsuke said, waving his hand, a decision made before the other could say anything.

With an annoyed grunt, Kumagami spun and strode out of the room, leaving just two sitting across from one another. How awkward, Shichino thought. It was not often that he would be in a room with Shunsuke alone; most of the time, he would be flanked by either Medoki or Maedomari. Or most commonly both, come to think of it.

"What did you want to say to me?" Shunsuke asked him in a soft voice.

Shichino cleared his throat. Still, the words remained stuck. What was he supposed to say? That he was wrong? That they should give the little brother time leap? None of that felt right. Instead, Shichino opted for an entirely different tactic instead.

"Three years ago," he said.

"Hm?"

If only he had a way to capture Shunsuke's shock, the way his lips parted slightly and his eyebrows lifted. Shichino shook his head and plowed on.

"Three years ago, during that failed raid of the prison where they were keeping a group of children. When I-" _failed,_ Shichino thought, _doomed them all to a fate worse than death_. "-when I froze up and didn't manage to save unlock the doors for them, why weren't you angry with me?"

"Should I have been?" Shunsuke asked, now looking confused.

"Of course you should have been! I failed to execute the plan that you and Kumagami spent weeks drafting up. Because of me, five kids were taken away. All because I couldn't…couldn't get my body to move until I had to save myself."

It was fascinating how unseeing silver eyes could hold so much emotion. Shichino watched as confusion melted away to understanding and then finally into kind acceptance.

Shunsuke reached forward, waving his hand in the air for a few seconds until he found Shichino and patted his head. "I could never blame you for that. It was my mistake for having thrown you into such a nerve-wracking situation without having you practice first. Anybody would have frozen up when faced with that kind of pressure."

_You wouldn't have. Neither would Kumagami. _Shichino thought.

As if reading his mind, Shunsuke continued speaking. "Kumagami and I have had so much more experience than you did at the time. I can tell you that in alternate timelines, there have been plenty of times when I have been paralyzed and caused all of us to get captured. You should never blame yourself for what happened then."

There it was. Shunsuke's ever magnanimous way of guiding them. Never once did he get angry at mistakes the different syndicate members had made along the way. Not one single time did Shunsuke lose his temper or express disappointment. It was so different from what Shichino had ever experienced growing up, like night and day. Seeing Shunsuke before him, comforting him for past failures, everything made sense.

Of course Shunsuke loved his siblings more than anybody. And in the same way that he did not blame Shichino for failing to save those children, he surely did not blame his little brother for accidentally allowing their sister's death to happen. Shunsuke was only ever harsh on himself and attributing everything to his own shortcomings. Seeing the way that his younger brother was falling apart, Shichino could bet that their leader blamed himself for removing himself from their lives, and in doing so, somehow bringing about all of this.

It made no sense.

But to Shunsuke, this was just the way the world ticked. And damn if Shichino would be the one to further contribute to his suffering. Shunsuke had sacrificed more than enough for two lifetimes over.

"Say, Shunsuke."

"I'm listening." Behind bland words, Shichino heard the question in Shunsuke's tone.

Shichino turned away. "I think we should reconsider the whole time-leap thing. There's probably a lot that we glossed over, didn't we?" It was as close to an apology as Shichino could manage. He snuck a glance at Shunsuke's face. The hesitant glimmer of hope, appearing like the first rays of dawn, permeated deep in Shichino's entire body. To think that he, Shichino, could create such pure joy in somebody. It almost made up for those terrible memories of the suffering he had caused all those years ago.

"Thank you, Shichino."

If this was what atonement felt like, then Shichino could give up anything in the world for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not that it's relevant but my personal take on how the rest of the discussion on giving Yuu time-leap went is that they ultimately landed on its limitations. Shunsuke possesses incredible memory (e.g. ability to recall lottery numbers, ability to be good at mahjong while blind, etc.) He uses this to rewind and travel back, "taking everything he has seen" with him. 
> 
> Yuu isn't nearly as bright as his brother is. With this in mind, it would probably be impossible for him to time-leap back a significant amount of time, and certainly not before the creation of the syndicate. With decreased risks and knowing how much it would mean to Shunsuke, the rest of the syndicate members ultimately vote yes to allow it to happen.


	2. Spell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Medoki had nightmares. Maedomari has theories. Together, they have managed to make something out of it all.

_No…no…stay away…don't touch me…just…_

"Leave me alone!" Medoki screamed. She bent over, breathing hard, feeling beads of cold sweat rolling down her face. It was dark; feeling around, she touched a mound of crumpled blankets.

"Medoki? Are you alright? Were you having a nightmare again?" A girl's voice asked her from across the room. Harumo Saya. Medoki's new roommate now that they had the space for dormitories.

"Y-yeah," she murmured. The images were still there though, looming in the periphery of her vision. Large hands reaching for her, fingertips stained yellow from years of nicotine use, a breath that reeked of alcohol and foul intentions. "I'm going to take a walk. Go back to sleep, Saya."

The other girl did not response; she probably fell asleep immediately. Medoki found her slippers and her robe, and tiptoed out into the hallway. At least that was partially lit; during construction, they had made a point of keeping visibility in the common areas in case of emergency evacuations. Though, with all the layers of security fortifying the underground research facility, it was unlikely that they would ever be under attack anyways.

_That's right…_she thought, placing a hand to still her beating heart. _He can't get to me here. He won't ever be able to find me._

It did not comfort her much. The images had been too real, fresh, as if that very scene was still happening. She could almost feel the way he leered at her, dark orbs stripped of all human feeling. Before she could fall into another panic attack, Medoki realized she had somehow wandered over to a doorway.

Maedomari and Shichino's room. Of course.

This would not be her first time entering their room, but it was the first nighttime visit. Then again, prior to the completion of the facility, the three of them had shared a room (technically, most of the children did in the small hideout they had before). It was different for them though. Time and time again, Medoki would wake up on the futon cushioned by Maedomari's arm, Shichino's legs intertwined with hers.

_I shouldn't be waking them…_but her hands keyed in the passcode and the door opened on command.

The sight before her made Medoki smile, nightmarish memories taking a step back. Maedomari slept peacefully, like a log, in his own bed. Shichino, on the other hand, was already halfway off the mattress with his limbs splayed in random directions. Neither of them snored but the sound of their deep breathing calmed her heart down.

Medoki snuck in, choosing a spot between their two beds to sit with her knees folded in tight. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she heard Maedomari's soft voice.

"Medoki? Did you have a nightmare?"

She nodded. Maedomari knew what it was; they had known each other since early childhood, growing up in the same impoverished neighborhood. Maedomari was the one who had suggested they run away after overhearing a conversation between undercover scientists and his parents, and knowing how easily they would sell him off for financial compensation, just like how parents of other kids that had disappeared did.

"Let's get something to drink," he said, casting his blanket to the side. "I could use something warm too."

* * *

So they ended up in the rec room, only half of the lights turned on, sitting across each other on square armchairs. Medoki had produced two cups of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream hidden in the back of some cabinet in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Maedomari sourced a package of oat biscuits, the closest thing he could find to chocolate chip cookies.

"We should request some better snacks," she complained. "Kumagami is so stingy. Just because he eats like a health freak doesn't mean we all should too."

"Shichino once said that he discovered an entire trove of cup ramen hidden in Shunsuke's office so I don't think we're the only ones with this opinion."

Medoki pouted. "And he didn't grab some for us?"

The boy let out a giggle. "Can you imagine Shunsuke's reaction if he found out?"

"True…I think the only time I've ever seen him angry was when Furuki ate those special refrigerated chocolates he had been saving up. He's never let Furuki live that down. I heard that Furuki now buys him chocolate every time he goes out to Tokyo."

They sat for a long time, sometimes talking, sometimes not. One of the things about Maedomari that she appreciated most was just how comfortable he could make silences feel. He was content to simply enjoy the tranquility of the night.

"I've always had a theory," said Medoki suddenly, staring at some unknown point in the distance.

"Hm? What is it?"

"First of all, why is it that we get the abilities that we do?"

Medoki furrowed her brows, not following his train of thought. "What do you mean?"

"Why is it that you have the power of hypnosis, and why can I erase memories? Why can Shichino permeate though anything? Why was Shunsuke given the all-powerful ability to time leap?"

"I'm not sure…I've never really thought about it before," she said honestly. She had just assumed that it was all random; the existence of ability wielders in and of itself was bizarre enough, let alone there being some explanation as to why certain people were endowed with their particular ability.

Maedomari played with the hem of his shirt. "I think there is a connection though. It feels like our abilities are reflections of our desires."

"Our…desires?"

"Take Shichino as an example. He grew up in a household where his father constantly beat him up for every little mistake. Back when we first found him, Shichino didn't even try to fight us. Instead, he just ran. Don't you think Permeation is just a little bit too convenient?" said Maedomari.

It was plausible, Medoki thought. "Then what about Shunsuke?"

"I think everything about Shunsuke can be explained by just how much he wanted to protect his siblings, especially after their mother abandoned them. That, and he always blames himself for everything. If that's the case, what do you think is the solution?"

"To be able to travel back in time and redo it…" Medoki exclaimed. "It makes perfect sense. But then, what about you and me?"

"That's what sealed it for me," said Maedomari. He dropped his voice, averting his gaze. "You…you just needed to stop that man from reaching you, didn't you? To escape from him…and to escape from your own mind too."

He was right. Medoki remembered the first time she had activated her ability. He had pounded up the stairs to her room, throwing the door open. She remembered screaming at him, thrashing her arms and legs, as if her seventy-pound body could do anything against a man three-times her size. She remembered willing for something, anything, to stop him.

And then it had happened. A tingling sensation in her eyes, followed by the brief look of confusion on his face before her stepfather collapsed, facedown. Then the blackness overtaking her senses as well, erasing everything away into a peaceful nothingness.

Maedomari placed a hand on hers. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said so much."

"N-no, you're right. I just wanted…" Medoki shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "What about you then? Why can you erase the memories of other people?"

Maedomari looked at her for a long time, then. She had grown so accustomed to seeing those deep blue eyes that sometimes, Medoki failed to notice just how complex they were, full of unspoken memories (whether his own, or witnessed).

"I just wanted to take away that pain," he whispered. "I wanted to take away that man from you so you never have to suffer through those nightmares again."

He was earnest, that Medoki could see. She felt her throat constrict. Six years ago when Maedomari had first proposed running away and leaving behind their troubled lives, he had looked at her in that same way, full of a fierce, protective glow. To think that he had retained those emotions all this time, to think that Maedomari had felt them this strongly in the first place…

"I…I don't know what to say," she finally choked out. "The memories…they're also what make me, me."

His lips caressed her forehead. "I know, Medoki. But will you let me do something?"

"What?"

He cupped her face in his hands. "If it will let you sleep without those dreams appearing, then feel free to hypnotize me, every night."

Medoki reached for him, sinking into his arms. Unable to speak, she only nodded.

"Especially," added Maedomari, " because you've already got me under your spell."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this little deep dive into Medoki and Maedomari's relationship.
> 
> // Bonus //
> 
> "You absolutely should not have been watching that," Kumagami said, arms folded. The boy beside him was still clothed in his normal black shirt, a clear sign that said boy had yet to go to bed.
> 
> "Aw…you're no fun at all, Pooh," Shunsuke whined, swaying side to side. "If they wanted to have a private conversation, they could have gone into any one of the fifteen conference rooms. Besides, I'm not actually *watching* them."
> 
> "I highly doubt they were aware of you monitoring, no, listening to all of the security camera feeds."
> 
> Shunsuke grinned, spinning around on his chair. "No harm done. Plus, Maedomari's little theory was fascinating, wasn't it? Haven't you wondered why you were given that ability to find ability users? Maybe it was because the child you wanted friends so badly-"
> 
> Kumagami tackled him, sending both of them onto the ground. "Oh? Is that so? Say that again, why don't you?"


	3. Retribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe all along, this was his retribution -- that in taking away from others, it was Maedomari who experienced the deepest loss of all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: if you are also following my other story "forever is composed of nows" and have not read Chapter 3, note that this contains a spoiler. Chronologically, this oneshot takes place after that (and may not 100% make sense out of context).

It was a Thursday, although the specific days of the week meant little to the members of the syndicate who stayed underground for the most part. They maintained a tradition of wearing school uniforms on weekdays, but with Shunsuke in the hospital, it meant that lessons had all been cancelled. The variety of textbooks housed in Shunsuke's towering bookshelves were significantly less appealing knowing that their leader was still in a precarious situation.

"Ayumi is off in the kitchen to cook us all lunch," Medoki said, joining the two boys in their recreation room. "It's taken awhile, but I think she has come to terms with everything that has happened, even if she can't quite understand it fully. With Yuu coming back in two days' time, I think she'll be fairly occupied with the homecoming preparations."

"Shunsuke will be relieved to hear that," Maedomari said, shutting his book. He had been flipping through a book about mechanical engineering, an endlessly fascinating topic. But recently, even his favorite subject of research had been failing to keep his attention. "It will be good for all of us too once things settle back to normal."

Normal. He said the word so easily, but Maedomari could not help but wonder what that word would mean now. They had all barely started getting acquainted with Otosaka Yuu and Ayumi when the terrorist incident had occurred. Now, Shunsuke would be away for who knew how much longer, Kumagami was by his side almost constantly, and Furuki…

Furuki had voluntarily agreed to be locked up, Maedomari reminded himself. And in light of everything he had done, it was not much punishment.

"As long as I'm not stuck babysitting the little brother," Shichino muttered. He was sprawled on the sofa, playing with a kendama.

Medoki rolled her eyes. "How long are you going to complain about him for? We've already established that it wasn't his fault."

"Doesn't change the fact that he's just a selfish coward who only thinks about himself."

"He was scared-"

"He didn't think about Kumagami or Tomori at all!"

"That wasn't-"

Maedomari's phone vibrated. He looked down at the device, a gift from Medoki long ago. "Text from Kumagami asking for us to video call him."

His friends both reacted immediately, jumping up from their chairs, any thoughts about their ongoing dispute vanishing immediately. Kumagami was at the hospital with Shunsuke; to receive a text from him meant that something had happened.

His phone vibrated once more, and Maedomari obediently read out the message. "He said not to worry. Shunsuke is fine. He just has a favor to ask of us."

"Couldn't he have said that in the first place?" Shichino complained, but it was only half-heartedly. Try as he did, he had not been able to hide just how much the recent events had shaken him up; indeed, the thought of potentially losing Shunsuke or Kumagami had affected them all in different ways.

Maedomari, for one, had managed to keep himself from any outward reactions. With Medoki's timid side and Shichino's unresolved anger resurfacing, it was up to him to be the voice of reason in their group. This was his greatest strength after all, one that Shunsuke had praised many times.

"Let's go then. We can take Meeting Room A," Maedomari said, leading the way.

* * *

"Thank you for taking the call so quickly," Kumagami started, his face magnified on the projected screen. "Shunsuke has a request that requires your assistance."

"Of course, we're more than happy to help," said Maedomari.

On the screen, Kumagami nodded. "This pertains to Furuki-"

"-the traitorous bastard," Shichino muttered under his breath.

"We haven't had much interaction with him," Medoki said. She had been good friends with Furuki; they all were. The news of his betrayal had hit them all hard. "He's been living in the west wing under surveillance, as are his immediate family members. Of course, we had blindfolded them when we transported them here, just like you instructed."

Kumagami shut his eyes. "Unfortunately, we can no longer have Furuki working with us. The possibility that this scenario will repeat itself is simply too high."

Medoki gasped.

It made sense, Maedomari thought, furrowing his brows. If word somehow leaked again about Furuki and his family, there was a high probability that he would be compromised. The alternative would be to keep his family within the school grounds or here at their headquarters, but without being able to offer them an explanation, it was unlikely that they would agree to that.

Still, the thought hurt. Furuki had been recruited by Kumagami not long after Shunsuke first appeared before them, proposing the idea of gathering all ability-wielders. One of the oldest members, Furuki had taken them under his wing and especially Maedomari, sharing a similar passion for machines and engines. He had been amongst the first to 'graduate' from Hoshinoumi, after his ability of Telescope had vanished; Maedomari remembered how relieved he was then that Furuki agreed to stay behind to serve as the chauffeur. For years, he had been somebody that they all relied on.

Of course it was all clear now that that had in some ways been part of his agreement with the terrorist groups. Just that knowledge alone sent chills through Maedomari.

"You want me to wipe his memories," said Maedomari, slowly. He felt two other pairs of eyes anchor onto him, widened in disbelief.

"Yes," Kumagami confirmed. "Wipe all of his memories of the academy, of the syndicate, of us. Furuki will no longer be a part of this mission anymore. He will restart his life as a regular citizen away from all of this."

The long-haired man caught Maedomari's gaze, regret rippling on cornflower blue. "I know this will be hard for all of us. Although Furuki did betray us, it was at the behest of the terrorists. He acted not because of any intentional malice upon us, but because he wanted to save the people he loves most."

"No excuses," Shichino fired back. "What he did was inexcusable. He drove you to those motherf***ers to go face _torture_, Kumagami."

"I understand, Shichino. However, it does not change the fact that we only came this far because Furuki has continually served the syndicate all these years. I hope that you can remember that too."

Medoki slumped in her chair. She was trembling, but as a testament to her inner fortitude, her voice did not shake. "What now then? Do we just go ahead and erase everything?"

"We have some time," said Kumagami. "As far as we're aware, there is no immediate danger given that Furuki and his family are all under lockdown. I believe Shunsuke wishes to pay him a visit to say farewell. I would suggest you all do the same, if you would like."

He paused for a few moments, scanning the room. When there was no response, Kumagami bowed his head. "Please reach out to me if you have any concerns about this. Otherwise…I'm sorry to ask this of you."

The screen flickered, replaced by a static image of a nighttime cityscape. The three in the room sat in silence, trapped in their own thoughts and memories.

> _Furuki, introducing a fourteen year-old Maedomari to arcade racing games after Maedomari had been immobilized by a panic attack. Furuki, patiently explaining the different parts of a deconstructed motor. Furuki, declaring that once they had successfully changed the world and protected all ability-wielders everywhere, he would go on to race in professional PG-1 circuits. _
> 
> _And most of all, Furuki, who had sat with Maedomari night after night, when images of the different memories he had witnessed all blended together into one amalgamation of terror, appearing in his sleep with relentless tenacity. Scenes of abuse, of fear, of anguish. Furuki would wipe those all away with his patient, calming smile. _

Someone tapped his shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie. Medoki held out a box of tissues, her own eyes rimmed with red. Looking down, Maedomari was shocked to see drops of water that had landed onto his hands, there of their own accord. 

"Are you alright, Mae?" She asked him softly, adopting an old nickname of his.

"Yeah. I am." Maedomari inhaled deeply. "I am going to have a chat with Furuki."

* * *

The West Wing was not one they used particularly often anymore. It had been constructed back in the early days when they were still figuring things out, and needed some kind of quarantine zone for those who struggled to control their mental state as a result of their abilities. Hence the walls were reinforced, the locks were absolute, and no windows existed.

Furuki had agreed to banish himself into one of the rooms, showing up at the doors of the headquarters with his arms outstretched and his head bowed low. Luckily it had been Medoki who had received him, but still she recounted how he had bruised his forehead against the ground, bowing to her over and over again. At that time, they had not known whether or not Shunsuke would pull through.

Taking his family in was another matter. They were housed in another room, his wife, parents and older sister (who had blissfully escaped the contamination by Charlotte's dust). Medoki had only given them the barest of information -- that they were being held prisoner for their own safety. Convinced that Furuki was a government worker, it had taken little persuasion to convince them that this was all part of some greater witness program.

Maedomari passed the door leading to their facilities. Furuki's room was at the very end of the Wing, tucked away in a corner. He keyed in the passcode, allowed the camera to scan his right eye, and was in.

This room was the smallest and barest of them all, hardly more than a cell. Hardly furnished, there was just a thin futon, a stool, and a small receptacle for bathroom purposes. Any water or food had to be brought in. Indeed, the room was more akin to a prison.

Furuki sat cross-legged against the wall, looking more disheveled and haggard than Maedomari had ever seen him. His facial hair had grown out unevenly, creating patches of color on otherwise pallid skin. His clothes too were wrinkled, unwashed judging from the smell.

If he was honest (and Maedomari was, if nothing else, honest), he was appalled at the poor treatment. The logical side of his brain reasoned that as punishment went they had let Furuki off very lightly, but that did little to assuage the heaving in his stomach at the sight.

"Hi."

The older man lifted his head, eyes pointed vaguely at Maedomari's chin. "Maedomari. You came. I… I don't know how to express just how sor-"

"You don't need to say it again. Medoki already told me," Maedomari interrupted.

Furuki's gaze dropped. "I see… please, how is he? How is Sh-Shun…?" His voice trailed off, thick with emotion.

Maedomari squatted down so that he was eye-level with Furuki, once one of his most trusted friends. No longer. "Shunsuke is recovering. He woke up about a week ago. The doctors believe he can make a full recovery."

"Thank God…I'm so relieved," Furuki stammered. His head was still bowed, but Maedomari could see tears landing onto his clenched hands.

"He does not blame you," continued the younger man. "Actually, he said that he is sorry that you had to juggle your family and the syndicate for so long. It must have been emotionally draining to have to live under such immense fear."

"I am so sorry I lied to you. I should never have tried to work here; the rules were clear, and yet I had foolishly begged Shunsuke to allow me to stay."

Maedomari took a seat beside the other, as he had so many times before. "You were trying to help us."

"I was being selfish! Those years I spent with all of you -- I didn't want to give it all up. I was scared, terrified, of entering the real world where nobody would understand who I am.

But in the end, I took Kumagami to that warehouse knowing what they were going to do to him. I am the reason why Shunsuke nearly died, why we nearly lost everything. God damn it, why am I such a coward? You must despise me, as you rightly should!"

"I don't know how I feel," Maedomari admitted. It was the truth. He felt torn between wanting to hate Furuki, as Shichino was quick to do, and wanting to reach over and comfort the man who had done the same for him, smoothing out the wrinkles that came with living, with fighting. There was a dangling blade between them, hanging by a string, swaying to the beating of his heart.

But regardless of how he felt, the decision had already been made, and the knife would fall, severing a friendship built up over days on the road with a trunk full of smuggled ability-users, and months devising plans at their old hideout, and years of just being together.

Perhaps that string had been cut the moment Furuki had missed a turn, and taken Kumagami away.

"I understand," said Furuki. This time he did meet Maedomari's eyes, and regret played on the surface of his face. "I am sorry, Maedomari, that it came to this. And I'm sorry for what you will have to do. It is perhaps selfish again for me to say this, but I am truly happy to have been friends."

"I am too, Furuki."

Maedomari stood. There was nothing more to say, really. In a few days, or a week, whenever Shunsuke was well enough to come back, he would be summoned to this the room again to close the curtain on their friendship forever. All of those moments would be erased from Furuki's mind; it will be as if they had never met.

For Furuki, the pain will vanish. He will continue living life outside of the syndicate, away from the ramifications of Charlotte, away from the perils of fighting a war against unknown enemies. Maybe someday, Maedomari would catch a glimpse of him on TV, racing in the professional circuits.

But for the rest of them, the loss would continue to haunt them each time they enter a car, and see a driver who is not Furuki in the rearview mirror, or pick up a racing car video game, or wake up alone at night with nobody to listen…

Too late, Maedomari realized he was crying.

Maybe this was why he was given this power. He had always lectured Shichino and Medoki about minding their actions for fear of karma, of the divine fates crashing down on them, of goodness and evil and all of the implications. Maybe all along, this was his retribution -- that in taking away from others, it was he who experienced the deepest loss of all.

The door slid shut behind him.

Maedomari walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of the trilogy of one-shots. Hope you enjoyed reading them! I'm not sure why I enjoy writing Maedomari so much (poor thing) despite favoring some of the other characters more. Maybe it's because he naturally lends himself to being introspective...?
> 
> A bonus chapter is pending...hehe

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave me comments with reactions, thoughts, or suggestions.


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